NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Cowboys, Giants

Buccaneers

Buccaneers HC Dirk Koetter said that the calf injury sustained by first-round DT Vita Vea turned out to be “better than we thought.”

“It was better than we thought,” Koetter said, via Pro Football Talk. “What Vita described when it happened was what you would think when a guy tore his Achilles. Thankfully it’s not that, it’s a calf injury. He’s gonna be out for right now, but it’s not what it could have been.”

Cowboys

According to Cowboys RBs coach Gary Brown, Ezekiel Elliott looks like a “completely different” version of himself than we saw last year.

“You go at this time last year, he’s very stressed out,” Brown said, via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “Wasn’t himself. Looked big. Now he looks happy and jubilant and lean and just going out there and having some fun. So it’s a completely different Zeke than it was last year.”

“He has a clear focus and clear vision on what he wants to do and what he wants to be,” Brown added. “When you look at him physically and see where he has leaned up then you see the way he runs out here. You can tell he is in a different place right now.

“He is in much better shape mentally too. He doesn’t have all that stuff on his mind. He has a clear vision on what he wants to do and what he wants to be. He has a clear mind. He wants to be the best.

“We are going to get a good Zeke this year. He is on a mission. You can see it already.”

Giants

• Giants owner John Mara was asked during an interview on WFAN 660 if they’ll get an extension in place for WR Odell Beckham Jr before the start of NFL regular season. Mara said that it “depends on how reasonable they are” and added that he doesn’t have a feel yet for how long it will take, as there’s currently “no deadline” to get it done. (Pat Leonard)
• We have Beckham featured in our Top 25 – 2019 NFL Free Agents list.